


Apotheosis

by monicawoe



Series: Theosis [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Blood Drinking, Evil Sam Winchester, Gen, Hell, Horror, Psychic Abilities, Sam 'Boy King of Hell' Winchester, Sam Winchester's Demonic Powers, Season/Series 06, Superpowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-26
Updated: 2011-03-29
Packaged: 2017-10-17 07:08:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/174211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monicawoe/pseuds/monicawoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Where do you think angels get their power from, Dean?"</p><p>(Sequel to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/166848?view_full_work=true">More</a>  -   This picks up immediately thereafter)</p><p> </p><p>featuring art by <a href="http://quickreaver.livejournal.com/7424.html">quickreaver</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Apotheosis

                                

Castiel lets go of Dean and backs away from Sam.

As Sam stares at Castiel, the right side of the angel's face begins to split open - a fine line of red trickling down his cheek.

"Sam, stop!" Dean says, reaching for Sam's wrist. He immediately pulls his hand back, shaking it out. Touching Sam feels like touching a live wire. 

Sam reaches out one long finger and wipes the blood from Castiel's cheek. 

Castiel swallows, nervously.

"The word you're looking for is 'thanks,' Cas," Sam says.  He sucks the blood off his finger, his eyes closing for a moment in contentment.

" _Thanks_..." Castiel repeats. "You killed three of my brethren, and you want me to thank you?"

Sam narrows his eyes. "I took out your opposition's leader. You should be grateful. I just helped you win your war." 

"This war cannot be won so easily, Sam. Raphael's followers will not simply stop because they've lost their general. I need the weapons." Castiel glances at Dean quickly and then looks back to Sam. "Please, Sam."

Sam nods. "Ok. You can pick any two."

"Two..." Castiel says in confusion. "There are over a thousand weapons in Heaven's arsenal."

Sam nods. "Mmhm. And you get two. One for Lucifer and one for Raphael."

Dean raises his eyebrows, and Castiel looks dumbfounded. 

"What about Michael?" Castiel asks bitterly.

"I didn't get to kill Michael. Raphael killed Michael. That doesn't count." Sam leans forward and whispers into Castiel's ear, "I'll give you one weapon for every angel you bring me." 

Castiel looks at Sam in disgust. "I'm not going to _bring_ you any of my soldiers!"

Sam laughs. "I don't care if they're yours, or Raphael's, or Balthazar's drinking buddies, but you _will_ bring them to me." Sam turns his back on Castiel, and heads for his throne. "Or you won't, and your weapons will stay right here."

"Sam!" Castiel yells. "Why? Why do you want - angels?"

Sam stops, halfway up the steps, and says, "Because I _broke_ my aquarium and I need new _fish_ ".

Castiel moves towards Sam and the ground begins to tremble.

Sam takes his place on the throne and looks down at them. "Choose your weapons, Cas, or I'll choose them for you. You have five minutes left." Sam's eyes glow brighter than ever. Castiel's eyes begin to bleed.

"Two weapons...that's a pretty good deal, Cas." Dean says, putting his hand on Castiel's shoulder in an attempt to turn him away from Sam's gaze. "Why don't you let me talk to Sam for a bit, and think about it, okay?"

Dean turns Castiel away from Sam and leaves him facing the wall. 

Dean walks towards Sam's throne. "Sam. You're not gonna make me climb up all those steps, are you?"

Sam looks down to Dean and answers without speaking, _No._

"Okay then..." Dean says after it becomes clear Sam has no intention of leaving his seat. "Why won't you just - give Cas the weapons back? It's not like you need _more_ firepower. So why keep them from him? He says he needs those weapons to stop the war." 

_You're the only one that matters._

Dean snorts. "Well that's real sweet of you Sam, but-"

_You're the only **weapon** that matters._

"Excuse me?" 

Sam smirks. _You can be to Heaven what I am to Hell._

Dean gapes.

 _Castiel is going to do everything he can to make sure that happens._ Sam's eyes flare as he looks down at the angel and speaks, **"Three minutes left."**

Castiel flinches at the words, but stays focused on the wall.

"Wait, I don't get it...Michael's dead! I'm a vessel for a dead angel! You gave me his _grace_ or whatever, but I can't even fight off Cas!" Dean says.

_Where do you think angels get their power from, Dean?_

"I have decided," Castiel announces, walking to the foot of the throne.

"Let's hear it then," says Sam, in an amused tone.

"The flaming sword of Eden and Samson's jawbone," Castiel says.

Sam gestures, and a burning broadsword and an unassuming, but large piece of curved bone appear at Castiel's feet.

Dean steps closer to Castiel and asks, _"Why do you want some dude's jawbone?"_

"It isn't _Samson's_ jawbone, it's a donkey's - Samson used it to slay a thousand men," Castiel explains as he kneels down to inspect the weapons.

"Oh." Dean coughs. "Listen, Cas, at some point we really have to talk about your battle strategies."

Castiel brightens at this. "Then - you'll come with me? I would welcome your advice. We will return to Heaven and we can-"

Dean puts up his hand. "No. I'm not going back up there. You want to talk to me - we can meet somewhere in the middle, okay? Above where we are now, and below where you're from."

Castiel pleads, "Dean, please. You could help us-"

 **"Time's up,"** Sam says, rising, and Castiel disappears.


	2. Go

Dean stands there for a minute or so, looking at Sam on his throne. He keeps expecting Sam to say _something_ , to give some indication that he isn't just part of the ornate structure itself, but Sam remains statue-still, considering Dean with unblinking _all-seeing_ eyes.

Dean breaks their staring contest and asks, "So...you want to tell me what's going on?"

Sam doesn't respond, but continues to stare at Dean.

"Can you at least send me back to Bobby's?"

"Why?" Sam says. "You can leave anytime you want."

"Can we - could you please knock off the overlord thing for a few minutes and come down here and talk to me?" Dean jumps when Sam suddenly disappears from his throne and reappears next to him, just a few feet away.

"Let's take a walk," Sam says.

Dean lets out a shaky breath. "Not really in the mood for the tour, Sam. My memories of here aren't all that good."

"I didn't mean here." Sam's mouth twitches. "I killed them all, you know. Every demon that ever laid its hands on you. Every demon that ever taunted you. Meg's the only one left. Say the word and I'll end her too. I don't even need to touch her, or see her, or _speak_. I can kill her with a thought."

Dean swallows. "That's not the point...I didn't...I don't want to remember who I _was_ here."

"You're a legend here."

"How many of your demons are souls that _I_ helped break? Or did you kill all of them, too?" Dean asks angrily.

Sam looks at the ground and then back to Dean. "We'll go somewhere else then."

Dean blinks to clear the sense of disorientation he's feeling. He looks to the left and then right. "Huh."

Sam passes Dean one of the two menus he's holding, and says, "I hear their cheeseburgers are awesome."

Dean heads for the closest booth and sits. "Should I ask why this diner is completely empty?"

"It's in Wyoming, twenty miles away from the nearest town, and it's two AM." Sam studies his menu.

"Okay...and what, are we gonna go cook the food ourselves?" Dean eyes the door he suspects leads to the kitchen, and wonders if they have a deep fryer. "Why not take us to a 24-hour joint?"

"Because this way we're far less likely to accidentally kill someone. Order off the menu," Sam says.

"You know, the weird part is - I'm not even hungry. I mean, I should be, but-"

"That's because you don't need to eat anymore. Doesn't mean you _can't_ though." Sam closes his menu and takes the wrapper off his straw. He sips his ginger ale and watches Dean.

"How do you _do_ that?" Dean asks.

Sam grins. "It's easy. I'll teach you."

"No, wait.  Just- just explain to me what you were talking about earlier. Why am I the 'only weapon that matters'?" Dean closes his menu and adds, "And get me a bacon cheeseburger with waffle fries."

Sam takes a bite of his Cobb Salad as Dean stares at his enormous bacon cheeseburger with waffle fries.

Sam unscrews the lids from the salt and pepper shakers and dumps their contents onto the table top, between their two plates. "Hell and Heaven function in completely different ways, but they also have some similarities," Sam says. The pile of salt begins moving and separates itself into smaller piles.

"What, no sketchbook?" Dean asks through a mouthful of burger. He pours a generous amount of ketchup over the fries.

"This would take way too much paper." Sam nods his chin towards the salt. "Heaven has two main populations. Human souls..." Sam points at the largest pile of salt, "...and angels." Sam nods at the multiple tiny piles of salt which look suspiciously like reverse snow-angels.

Dean snorts. "That's adorable. Are we gonna build a little sandcastle next?"

Sam raises his eyebrow and points at the larger pile of salt. "Each human soul is a constant. They're at peace from the moment they enter Heaven, and remain that way for eternity. Or that's the plan, anyway."

"I didn't feel at peace up there at all," Dean says, shooting Sam a look.

"Angels are similar. They're a lot more powerful of course, but they don't change over time." Sam shifts his gaze left to the pile of pepper. The pepper spreads out over nearly half of the table as Sam continues, "In Hell, all human souls become demons eventually. The longer they're in Hell, the stronger they become."

Dean stares at the pepper, transfixed, and watches each tiny piece of pepper grow. Some of the pieces reach the size of whole peppercorns. "Ok, and all this means what, exactly?"

"Up until recently, Heaven and Hell were pretty evenly matched. Then we came along, and instead of playing our roles the way we were supposed to -" Sam raps his right fist against the tabletop lightly and several of the snow-angels disappear, "-we changed the rules." Sam looks over to the left and the peppercorns all roll towards each other.

"Sam. Could you please stop speaking in haikus?"

"Heaven is held together by faith. Everyone there- the souls, the angels - it's their faith that keeps Heaven going," Sam says.

Dean nods slowly. "Because they're all that's left...and I'm willing to bet their faith is a little shaky these days."

"Just a little."

"So...what? I'm supposed to go up there and give them a pep talk? They're still dicks," Dean says.

Sam smirks, "I only know what Lucifer and Michael told me. I'm not even sure they told me the whole truth. Though- I did learn quite a bit more when I took their grace from them. Raphael filled in some of the gaps too..." Sam smiles and Dean feels ice run down his spine. "What I do know is that Castiel is set on getting you to fight with him against the other angels. He's convinced that you're what will keep Heaven from falling."

"Oh. Is that all?" Dean asks, and leans back against the cushioned bench.

"You don't owe them anything," Sam says quietly.

"I know I don't." Dean looks at Sam and adds, "I'm not going up there. I already told Cas - if he wants to talk, he has to come down here to talk to me."

"Good to hear." Sam sighs, and stands up. "I have to get back. Call me if you need anything."

Dean, alone in the diner, in the middle of nowhere, curses loudly at no one. "How the Hell am I supposed to get back to Bobby's? There aren't even any cars in the-"

"Dean?" Bobby asks in surprise.


	3. Lawrence

"Well? Aren't you gonna say anything?" Dean asks.

Bobby wearily lifts his head up from where it was resting on his folded arms and leans back into his chair. "What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know!" Dean starts pacing the floor of Bobby's small kitchen. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do! I have _no_ idea what's going on. Sam tried to explain it, and if he's right, then Cas needs _me_ to win his war."

"Well ain't that something," Bobby mumbles.

"Yeah, it sure is something!" Dean yells and the kitchen window explodes. Dean flinches and stares at the glass shards now littering Bobby's sink.

"Don't yell at _me_ , boy!" Bobby gets up and inspects the damage. "You owe me for this window, too."

Dean moves to the side as Bobby starts fishing the shards out of the sink. "Sorry Bobby, I - I should go."

"Son of a bitch." Bobby snaps, as he nicks himself on one of the shards. "It's ok Dean, it ain't your fault. Well, it is, but - you know what I mean." Bobby turns around, but Dean is gone.

\------------

Dean sits behind the wheel of the Impala and for the first time in a long time doesn't feel like driving. He doesn't know where to go, for starters. He doesn't know what to do. He heads out of Bobby's salvage yard, towards the highway and drives south.

An hour later, after having gone through three different tapes hoping that it was just a fluke, Dean hangs his head and accepts that he somehow shorted out the tape deck. In the past, he would've just started singing to himself until he got a chance to fix the deck. This time though, he just can't bring himself to sing.

Six hours later, in Lawrence, Kansas, Dean sits on Missouri Mosely's doorstep and waits.

\------------  
   
In his shed, Bobby finishes the Enochian summoning ritual,"Ba ba loh en, toh an tah ar bi en." He drops the last of the herbs into the bowl. A small fire consumes the herbs and burns steadily. Bobby clears his throat, "Sam? Uh...I'm not sure if this is gonna work or not, but I really hope you can hear me." Bobby inhales and then exhales slowly, "It's Dean. I haven't heard from him in almost a week. He isn't answering his cell - or any of his phones. I tried reaching Castiel, but he isn't answering either. I just wanna know he's ok, so, if you've seen him-" Bobby leans back from the flame just in time, as it flares upwards, nearly reaching the ceiling.

Bobby takes a few steps back, stares at the column of flame coming out of the bowl, and hears the fire speak, __**"Who took him?"  
**  
"I don't know. That's why I'm calling you. He left here in a hurry. It was the damnedest thing...I'm just worried 'cause I got a call from this psychic - Missouri Mosely. She said he'd been with her since Tuesday, but that he left a few hours ago and now - she says she can't feel him anymore."

The fire lashes outwards and Bobby takes another step back, _**"What else do you know?"**_  
\------------

Three hundred eighty-six miles south of Singer Salvage Yard, in Lawrence - Missouri falls to her knees in the middle of her living room, and screams. She can't see him, but she feels him _everywhere_. He's speaking right into her mind and it feels like lightning tearing through her head.

 __ **Who took him?  
**  
"Sam-" she gasps. "Sam, I'm so sorry."

 __ **Don't be sorry. Tell me what happened.  
**  
"I don't - I don't know! He-"

 __ **Tell me - everything.**  
  
Missouri does. She offers up her memories to Sam - every detail of the last five days.  
Sam sees Missouri _embracing Dean, offering him a sad smile, and inviting him in. Dean tells her everything that's happened, and she nods but has no advice to offer. He asks her to help him. He doesn't want to hurt anyone. "You do feel like one of them, but you're still you in there, you know that, right?" she says, and Dean smiles weakly. She helps him feel like a human again - makes him mow the lawn, and take out the garbage. Dean's heart gets a tiny bit lighter every day he's there. At breakfast, earlier this morning - Dean offers to cook and Missouri lets him help with the bacon, but nothing else. Dean opens the door to pick up the newspaper. Through the open door, Missouri catches a glimpse of a man in a trench-coat. She feels Dean's anger rise sharply. Then they both disappear_ and just like that she's alone again.

It takes more than five minutes for Missouri's heart to slow down after Sam leaves. She gets up slowly, and walks to her front door. She knows Sam is gone, but she feels an inexplicable need to look at where he was. She opens the door and sees a small smoldering circle of ash in the middle of her front lawn - what used to be her front lawn. All the grass has died. Her azaleas are husks, a few charred petals cling pathetically to what's left of the shrubs. She sees something on the lowest doorstep, and crouches down to take a closer look. She picks up the dead chickadee and carries it, with trembling hands, back inside her house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bobby's ritual translates to : "Evil one, listen to my words"  
> [Thank you Enochian Language Database! ](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ordolux/occultinfodirectory/enochian/enochianlangdatabase.htm)


	4. Faith Collapsing

Dean looks down at the clear, still water and asks again, "You had to bring me here to show me a _lake_?"

"It isn't a lake." Castiel huffs in frustration. "I know you can see what this is. You just aren't _looking_."

"No, no- I _am_ looking, and what I see is a damn lake," Dean says, "Seriously, you couldn't just _tell_ me about this?"

"Dean." Castiel reaches for Dean's forehead, but Dean grabs him by the wrist. All two dozen of the angels standing guard around them stare, but make no move to intervene.

Dean lets go of Castiel, "No. Just tell me what I'm really looking at, okay?"

"It may help if you -" Castiel kneels on the ground and gestures,"-if you touch the water," Castiel says.

Dean eyes him warily. "Yeah...and you _really_ want me to do that for some reason. Mind telling me why?"

Castiel swallows, and looks up to Dean. "It will help you to understand -"

"Lying to me right now is a _really_ bad idea." Dean flinches when he feels something brush against his cheek. Luckily, it's only a leaf. It's Autumn in the Garden, and it looks very different from the last time Dean was here _with Sam_ with Joshua. Surrounding the lake are a handful of large trees, their leaves a dizzying mix of red, orange and yellow. The leaves fall steadily, and Dean's feet make crunching noises as he steps further away from the lake's edge.

Castiel gets up and turns away from the water. "It's _faith_ Dean, all this- what you're seeing- your mind is putting it in terms you can understand. You've spent most of your life as a human. To you, water is life. That's what faith is to us."

Dean walks a bit closer to the water again and looks. He lets his eyes drift and lets out a quiet gasp when he finally _sees_. The lake is made of light - a brilliant, bright blue. There are seven small rivers running out from the center, reaching out as far as the horizon. Dean can feel the lake calling to him, urging him forward. It's peace, it's hope, and it's right there and if he just moves closer, then he can finally, finally stop hurting.

\----------

Sam stands at the gate of Heaven and knocks.

\----------

Dean isn't sure how long he stares at the lake. He snaps out of his reverie when he becomes aware of an increasingly annoying melody on the outskirts of his consciousness. "Cas - what _is_ that?" Dean looks down and sees that his feet are mere inches from the water's edge.

Castiel stares at him blankly, "What is _what_?"

"That, that sound - the music - it's like a whistling..." Dean stops talking and listens again for a few more seconds. "Is that somebody's idea of a joke?!" Dean looks at the other angels, and snaps, "Whichever one of you is doing that - knock it off!"

"Dean-" Castiel starts.

"What?! I hate that song- it's really friggin annoying!" Dean yells, then he stops and listens again, "Okay- that's a bit better."

"Dean!" Castiel says, loudly. "What are you hearing?"

"Well, first it was that annoying eighties song 'Send Me an Angel'. " Dean puts his hand to his forehead and pinches the bridge of his nose. "...and now, it's 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door!'" Dean spins around and looks at their audience. "None of you hear that?!"

One of the angels steps forward and says, "He's at the Gate."

Dean feels his gut churn. "Who is at the gate?" He turns to Castiel. "Who's at the gate?"

Castiel nods to the soldiers on his left. "Go."

Half of the angels disappear, and the remaining dozen reposition themselves to form a smaller ring around Castiel and Dean.

"It's Sam, isn't it?" Dean asks.

Castiel doesn't answer.

"You just sent those angels out there to do what, exactly?"

"To explain to him that you are safe and will be out shortly," Castiel answers.

"You-" Dean laughs. "How is that a good plan? Sam literally _eats_ angels for breakfast."

Castiel nearly smiles as he says, "In Hell, yes, and on Earth, maybe, but here - this is _our_ home."

"So what, he's _powerless_ here?"

"No. Just not as much of a threat. Most of the angels here aren't even in vessels- and Sam can't turn them into flesh, not here." Castiel says. "Anyway, he can't get in. We're safe here. "

"Safe?" Dean repeats. "So there's no way Sam could get in? You're sure - because I've known him a long time, and I have to tell you -"

Castiel cuts him off. "The only way Sam could get through the Gate is if _we_ invite him in."

"Just, let me go see him Cas. I'll let him know I'm fine, and he'll go wait for me somewhere else," Dean pleads.

The angels around them step a bit closer, and Castiel says, "I'm sorry."

\----------

Sam hears the twelve angels as they appear behind him. "Who sent you?" he asks, still facing the gate.

"Dean Winchester," says the smallest of the angels, stepping closer to Sam.

Sam turns slowly. "You're lying."

The angel doesn't respond, but another one steps forward. "Forgive Rehael, he is young."

"Is he?" Sam asks in a flat tone.

"We need your help, Sam." The angel looks at Sam, his eyes filled with light and sorrow. "Castiel - he means well, but he will destroy us all."

"Harahel, no- " Rehael says.

Harahel continues, "No. This has gone on long enough."

Sam looks at the angels curiously. "What has?"

"Castiel believes that Dean can take in the power of Heaven, but - even if he's right, it will tear Heaven apart!" says Harahel. "If he disrupts the flow of the rivers, all the souls here - _all_ of them will have nothing left to hold onto. All of Heaven will crumble."

"What makes you think I'd care about that?" Sam asks.

The angel tries again. "Sam, please. Together we can stop this madness. You and Dean can leave and we'll never bother either of you again."

Sam takes a slow breath and looks at them. Here, in their home, they are shimmering things - made of light, grace and beauty. Sam wants to sink his teeth in and drink until their light dies. "I don't work with angels," he says, and turns his back on them again.

"Sam, please. We- we'll do anything you ask of us," Harahel says.

"Stop!" Rehael yells, lunging forward. Two of the other angels hold him back.

Harahel turns and yells at the smaller angel. "If we don't do this, everything ends anyway! We have no other choice!"

Sam smirks, and looks over his shoulder. "You'll do...anything I ask of you?"

"Yes. We need your help," Harahel answers.

Sam turns to face the angels and asks, "Will you give yourselves wholly to serve me, and _only_ me?"

Harahel hesitates only a moment, before answering, " _Yes._ "

\----------  
In the Garden, Dean, Castiel and the angels around them all fall to the ground in pain. There's a deafening noise of metal creaking, and a voice echoes through the air saying, **"Little pigs, little pigs, let me in. Or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your _world_ in." **

The noise gets louder and louder and then there's a **_crack_**.

The ground in the Garden starts to heave and tear, and Dean gets up and tries to move forward, toward one of the trees nearby. The ground breaks again and he hangs from a ledge, nothing below him but the impossibly still water of the lake. "Cas!" he yells. "Help me damnit!"

\----------

All of Hell feels Sam break open Heaven's door. Every soul there rushes towards the heart of Hell, towards the throne, which shifts and changes again eagerly awaiting the return of their King.

\----------

As Sam walks through Heaven, he sees it start to crumble. It falls away under his feet, which drip with the blood of a dozen angels. Sam clutches a handful of feathers in his left hand and heads towards the Garden.

\----------

In South Dakota, Bobby Singer has just finished replacing his kitchen window. He cleans a thumbprint off of the glass and sees it starts to rain. He opens the window to get some fresh air, _he always did love the smell of rain_ and watches in confusion as the glass pane slowly turns red.

\----------

In Lawrence, Kansas, Missouri Mosely sits on her doorstep and says over and over, "The sky is bleeding, the sky is bleeding, the sky is _bleeding_..."

\----------

Sam enters the Garden, and walks over to where Castiel sits, slumped against a tree next to a cliff. Sam runs his hand through his hair, and his fingers come away slick with angel blood. He opens his hand and lets the sticky feathers fall at Castiel's feet. Castiel doesn't move. "I owe you thirty-seven weapons. When you've decided which ones you want, send these back to me. Don't come yourself. If I ever lay eyes on you again, I'll be the last thing you ever see."

Castiel whispers to himself, _"Teloch. Noib teloch. Nenni teloch."_

\----------

Sam finds Dean lying in the middle of an empty lake bed. He kneels beside him, lifts his head up as gently as he can, and takes them both home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Make sure to check out the [amazing artwork ](http://quickreaver.livejournal.com/7424.html) made by the magnificent quickreaver!
> 
> Castiel is saying: "Death. Yes, death. You have become death."  
> [Thank you Enochian Language Database! ](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ordolux/occultinfodirectory/enochian/enochianlangdatabase.htm)


End file.
